Carol Kirkwood at Chelsea Flower Show Press Day on 23 May 2022© Mark Thomas/Shutterstock

Carol Kirkwood's home life away from BBC Breakfast cameras

The Scottish star is a fan favourite on the morning programme

TV and film writer
July 27, 2023

Carol Kirkwood is a fan favourite member of the BBC Breakfast team and is a welcome sight for viewers each morning when she brings the latest weather news with her usual sunny enthusiasm. 

But what does the presenter get up to when she's not on camera? Here's all we know about Carol's life away from the show.

WATCH: BBC Breakfast thrown into chaos as Carol Kirkwood bombarded by litter of puppies: 'It's carnage

Where does Carol Kirkwood live?

Carol, 61, lives in Maidenhead, Berkshire, with her fiancé Steve. 

While the weather presenter has never shared any snaps from inside her house, she has given an insight into her morning routine, explaining that her alarm goes off at 2.45am when she's working on Breakfast

© Maureen McLean/Shutterstock

Carol lives in Maidenhead, Berkshire

Speaking with Prima Magazine in June 2021, she revealed the sweet way her husband-to-be wakes her up each morning: "He always makes me a cup of tea before I go to work in the morning, which is very romantic - it's 2.45am and he often leaves me a little love note for when I come home from work. That, to me, is worth a million red roses."

Carol Kirkwood's life away from BBC Breakfast

When Carol's not busy keeping BBC Breakfast viewers up to date with the latest weather forecast, she enjoys spending quality time with her family. Speaking to Woman and Home in 2015, Carol revealed the close bond she shares with her siblings. 

© BBC

Carol Kirkwood presents the weather on BBC Breakfast

"My family are very close - and there's lots of us! I've got five sisters and two brothers. We're scattered all over the country so it can be hard to get together. We always make an effort for each other's birthdays though."

In her free time, the Scottish star also likes to journey back to her homeland. She told Good Housekeeping: "The Scottish Highlands are special to me as that's where I grew up. I come from a village called Morar — I think I appreciate it more now than when I actually lived there. The silver sands are breathtaking. Then there's Loch Morar and the Morar River, which are both gorgeous."

Carol joined the BBC in 1998

She noted that her favourite part of the country is between Fort William and Mallaig, a route she loves to travel on the Jacobite steam train. 

Carol also likes to put pen to paper when she's not on the telly and has written three books. Her debut romance novel, Under a Greek Moon, was released in 2021 and reached number two on the Sunday Times bestseller. This was followed by her second book, The Hotel on the Riviera in 2022. Her most recent release is a romantic summer read, titled Secrets of the Villa Amore, which hit the shelves earlier this month.

Carol has released three romance novels

Carol Kirkwood's love life

Carol is engaged to 48-year-old former police officer Steve Randall. The couple were initially just friends before things turned romantic, with neither party looking for a relationship at the time. 

Carol announced her engagement live on BBC Breakfast in May last year while reporting from the Chelsea Flower Show. "I got engaged," she said, flashing her ring to the camera. "We got engaged when we were on holiday," Carol told her co-stars Sally Nugent and Jon Kay. "So it's lovely news and we're both thrilled. Thank you!"

WATCH: BBC Breakfast thrown into chaos as Carol Kirkwood engulfed by litter of puppies: 'It's carnage'

MORE: BBC Breakfast star Carol Kirkwood looks transformed in epic throwback photo

Opening up about her future husband, she told Closer magazine: "My fiancé is very handsome. He's very kind and caring and he makes me laugh. Steve's a good cook too. He's all I could ever want. In my eyes he's perfect."

© Can Nguyen/Shutterstock

Carol Kirkwood with her fiancé Steve Randall

Prior to her romance with Steve, Carol was married to cricket player Jimmy Kirkwood from 1990 to 2008. 

Carol got candid about her divorce in her 2021 book, Under The Greek Moon, and admitted that her split from Jimmy was "all so shocking" to her and that working at BBC Breakfast helped to distract her. 

Carol confirmed her engagement live on BBC Breakfast

"In a funny way though, that helped with the healing process," she explained. "I put my grief into a compartment which I kept separate from my work, otherwise I’d have ended up in a puddle of tears. Work kept me going."

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